I Guess This Makes Jesus Partisan As Well

Actually, it makes those who refuse to follow the teachings of the Church at risk for HELL.

What am I talking about? The comments by the usual gang of Catholics in Name Only (CINO) who hated the fact that a large group of Catholic Bishops actually had to courage to say that if you are Catholic you can't support abortion. They are basically saying that when you speak up to defend life you are partisan. Notice, it is OK for them to stand up & oppose war completely, claim it is based on their faith, thus saying you have to vote Democratic & say they are nonpartisan. But if you say you can't vote for a Pro-abortion candidate for president, or if you tell Biden & Pelosi they are mis-stating Catholic teaching, then you are partisan.

My evdence?

Let's start with the former editor of America Magazine, Fr. Thomas Reese S.J. now of Georgetown University. He was (unofficially) forced out as editor because of the way the magazine undermined authentic Catholic teaching. (It still hasn't imprroved much.) In an article published by the Dallas Morning News on Sunday he said that: "Episcopal authority took a major hit during the election.” Talking about this week's meeting he said: “(the) division between the vocal, partisan bishops and the silent, nonpartisan bishops will be a major issue at the Baltimore meeting.” Reese also called for the Bishops to shut up about the evils of abortion & concentrate on practical political engagement for “reducing abortions”. In other words, only if you work with Obama & don't challenge his abortion stand, you are non-partisan.

Then there is Peter Steinfels former editor of another sterling example of an CINO magazine, Commonweal. Last week in his NY Times (speaking of partisan) article he said that "anyone constructing a list of the big losers on Tuesday would probably include the nation’s Roman Catholic bishops." My question is, by who's standards, your or God's?

National Catholic Reporter's John Allen Jr. wrote: “some analysts, especially those of a more liberal bent, are spinning the election of Barak Obama as a ‘repudiation’ of what they see as an overly strident and partisan tone from the bishops, especially on abortion. A few ardently pro-life Catholics, meanwhile, actually believe that what they call ‘silence and treachery’ from the bishops on abortion helped pave the way for Obama’s success.”

I hate to break it to those so-called expert analysts, but those people who voted for Obama repudiated the teachings of the Catholic Church long before the Bishops spoke up. & those Bishops who were silent were, in some cases, not only treacherous, but treasonous as well. Also, the truth isn't determined by the majority. I would remind them that back in the 3rd to 4th Century AD, the majority of Bishops supported Arianism. Yet, the Church didn't go with majority rule. The Council of Nicaea, guided by the Holy Spirit, declared Arianism a heresy.

According to a CNA article, last week "several prominent Catholic commentators argued that the bishops had "lost authority" by speaking out strongly against Catholics voting for pro-abortion politicians, like Sen. Barack Obama and other mostly Democratic candidates, who were elected to office last Tuesday."

Sorry, but the Bishops who spoke out & upheld the authentic teaching of the Church didn't lose a thing. Authority has nothing to do with majority rule. It has to do with standing up & proclaiming the truth. What happened wasn't a loss. It was just the opposite. In the eyes those who are sincerely looking for the truth, these Bishops grew in respect. These people saying the Bishops lost authority never respected it in the 1st place. & they hated the public reminders these Bishops provided for them. these Pro-abortion CINOs are trying to stop the Bishops from exercising their God given authority.

A Bishop loses authority when he misrepresents the teachings of the Church. He loses it when he abandons it for popularity or money. he loses it when he runs away from the exercise of it.

It looks like the Bishops may not be running away from the issue this week as was reported last week. Writing in his column this past weekend, Archbishop John Vlazny of Portland said: “We plan to set aside time to discuss practical and pastoral implications of political support for abortion, an issue that remains problematic for us and our people.”

He went on to say: “The mission of our Conference calls all of us bishops to act collaboratively and consistently on the important issues which confront the church and society. Furthermore it helps us foster communion with the church in other nations under the leadership of the Holy Father."

For those who would silence the Bishops, Archbishop Vlazny makes it clear that if the Bishops are to truly do their job, silence is not an option.

Also, for those of you who want to silence them, I have some news. Your actions put you in the same boat as those who stoned the prophets to silence them. It puts you in the same boat as those tried to silence Jesus. I can't speak for you, but I know this isn't the boat I want to be in. Its destination is just a little too warm for me.

Source: What will really happen this week at the USCCB meeting

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(Added 2:29 AM) I just came across this & I have to add it to this post.

Add imprudent to the list of things speaking up to proclaim the Gospel truth is. In a post on his Vancouver Sun blog (Sarah Palin choice alienated Catholics, Jews, Muslims, non-religious), Douglas Todd wrote: "A few imprudent bishops even warned tens of millions of faithful American Catholics that casting a ballot for Obama could threaten their immortal souls." I guess that the Bishop is supposed to ignore God's call to be a watchman if it isn't prudent by the World's standards. I'll stick with Paul's call to preach the Gospel in season & out of season instead.

Of course he points out that 54% of Catholics voted for Obama. "To vote Democrat, many American Catholics had to ignore the instructions of high-profile bishops who urged adherents to not vote for a candidate like Obama, who is pro-choice on abortion." He fails to mention that most of those that did are CINOs. & guess who he quotes? Fr. Thomas Reese S.J. "The laity repudiated [Catholic bishops'] description of the Democratic Party as the party of death." No, Fr. Reese, they renewed their credentials as members of the "culture of death". What they repudiated was Christ & His Church. Just as you have repudiated your vocation as a Jesuit by undermining the teachings of the Church & esp the teaching authority of the Pope.

Refering to a Pew poll Todd says the results showed: "75 million self-declared Catholics are following their own consciences." Self-declared is a good term. & I would remind Todd that following your conscious counts only if it is pro[perly formed. & the Church has made it clear that a properly formed conscious cannot support abortion as these people did by their vote.

Mr. Todd, you are wrong. McCain's choice of Palin didn't alieniate those people who are truly Catholic (or Jewish) she drew us in. Those who claim to be Catholic, but are pro-choice alienated themselves a long time ago. In fact, those mainline Christians you refer to are mostly those who have repudiated 2000 yrs of Christianity & those doctrines that are found in the Bible. They are the people Paul warned about that preach another Gospel. They are the ones he said were on the road to destruction. God's word, not mine.

Given what I read about Mr. Todd's background, I am not surprized at all by his approach. I know he doesn't believe it, but, he is on the same boat & heading in the same direction as the others I mentioned above.

For all of you, it is not too late to abandon ship, repent & turn to God for forgiveness.